Fabrnary 28,1867. 1 



JOOBNAIi OF HOBTIOULTURE AND CJOTTAOB OAiU)ENEB, 



W 



I do not rely on the readings of the thermometer alone as a 

 proof of the cold, or rather of the difference of heat, but on 

 the effects as regards vegetation, which here at least have been so 

 singular as almost to deserve the term capricious ; for while at 

 one place Laurnstinns and even common Laurels were all but 

 killed, at others in about the same altitude no harm has been 

 done, and yet the conditions in both cases were apparently 

 alike. I may, however, add, that prior to the frost commencing 

 on December 31st, we had had a long period of doll mild 

 weather, with so very little frost that the two conical pillars of 

 Pelargoniums before referred to were quite fresh and looked as 

 well as two months before that date, the injury resulting from 

 Some sharp frosts in November having been repaired by the 

 after-growth. Now, it is easy to conceive what effects might 

 foUow an intense frost suddenly falling on plants which had 

 scarcely encountered autumn cold ; but fortunately for low- 

 growing plants, the first frost was speedily followed by snow, 

 so that when the cold was most intense, a covering of 8 or 

 10 inches of snow effectually saved many from destruction. 

 As an instance of this, I may mention that we obtained a con- 

 siderable number of Verbena cuttings, from a bed fully exposed, 

 on the 10th of .Tanuary, after the first winter had passed away. 

 Plants above the snow-line, however, fared much worse, and it 

 is difficult to state how much damage has been done. 



Before, however, I enter into this subject, I may mention that 

 a minimum registering thermometer placed in a perfectly open 

 place about 3 feet from the ground, and at an altitude of about 

 300 feet above the sea level, did not fall lower than 10", or 22° 

 of frost, and I have no reason to doubt its accuracy, as no par- 

 ticular injury was done to anything there beyond that which 

 occurs in ordinary sharp frosts ; whUe at less than 200 yards 

 distance from the same spot, and about 40 feet lower down, 

 several shrubs and trees have suffered severely, although in a 

 place sheltered in all directions but the south and south-west. 

 Only a very short distance from the latter spot, and in a 

 situation much the same in every respect, the same sorts of 

 trees and shrubs escaped altogether or nearly so. Now, why 

 was this ? Is it possible for a wave or volume of cold air to 

 settle itself in one particular place, and not mix with other 

 portions of the atmosphere less cold than itself? Certainly 

 the stillness of the night would favour this idea, yet it is laid 

 down by those acquainted with the laws of nature, that such 

 an occurrence is not likely to take place in so circumscribed 

 a space. The damage, however, in one particular place was 

 so much greater than elsewhere, that there would appear to 

 have been a difference in temperature similar to that which 

 exists in hot days between the south and north sides of a wall, 

 and which amounts to several degrees ; at least, this is the 

 only explanation which I can offer, but, perhaps, some of 

 your readers may give a better reason. I may further add, 

 that the place where the frost seems to have been most severe, 

 was about 250 feet above the sea level, whilst at about 350 or 

 380 feet the decrease was scarcely perceptible, and it is re- 

 markable that some common Laurels, Laurustinus, and other 

 shrubs growing near a piece of water on cold clayey soil at 

 not more than 150 feet of elevation, suffered less than those 

 100 feet higher up. Such results are perplexing. 



With regard to the effects of the frost, and commencing with 

 eommon shrubs, I may state that those which have suffered are 

 most injured on the south-west side. Laurestines are in some 

 places all but killed, Portugal Laurels not in the least hurt, 

 common Laurels in places browned severely on the tops, and 

 Garrya elhptica more injured against a south wall than in the 

 open ground. Berberis Darwinii, Wallichii, and aquifolium 

 escaped entirely, while B. japonica and Fortuni look ill. Gris- 

 Unia littorahs has been much injured where not covered with 

 snow, and still more so is Phygelius capensis ; in fact, it is 

 killed to the ground I believe, and the same is the case with 

 some Fuchsias which have withstood four or five winters, and 

 liave stems 3 inches in diameter or more. Phillyreas have all es- 

 ■oaped, except one singular kind, withlong willow-shaped leaves. 

 CoUetia horrida is injured, but not so much so as C. bictonensis ; 

 the latter, I think, is killed. Sheltered by a wall, Desfontania 

 apinosa seems unhurt, and the new Japanese evergreen Ka- 

 phiolepis ovata shines as brightly as before the frost. I may add 

 that this pretty little evergreen shrub bears berries most pro- 

 fusely, some plants not a foot high having nice flusters upon 

 them I it seems, however, to be of slow growth, like Skimmia 

 japonica. The latter seems on the whole to be improved by 

 the cold, but it was well covered up with snow, and so were 

 all the Pemettyas that I had planted. 



Some plants of the old White Indian Azalea growing neat a 



tree of Pinus insignis, much hurt, were not in the least injured, 

 but the purple variety in some places was very much injured. 

 Camellias planted out, though they have not escaped soathleas, 

 were less injured than most things, and MagnoUas of some siae 

 against a wall were browned a little. Myrtles in some plaeee 

 were all but killed, and I believe Ceanothus papillosua to be 

 quite destroyed ; C. dentatus is injured, and I expect to lose 

 some plants, but feara greater loss in C. azureus. New Zealand 

 Veronicas, both variegated and plain-leaved, are killed to th« 

 ground, as likewise is Clianthus pnnicens, which has stood 

 several winters with the protection of a mat against it in very 

 cold weather. Enonymus japonicus of the old kind is de- 

 stroyed where not protected by snow, but the newer Japaa 

 kinds, E. radicans and aureo-variegata, are as fresh as ever 

 under the snow. Eugenia apicnlata against a wall is injured, 

 hut not fatally ; and Escallonia macrantha has lo-' its bean^, 

 but not its life. A hardy Passion-Flower. whos" • lossoms still 

 lingered with us up to the middle of Decemutr, has a very 

 withered look now, but I think the main stems are alive, while 

 a very humble plant with me, IlUcium floridanum, is un- 

 scathed. Sweet Bays in some places have suffered much, in. 

 others scarcely at alL Benthamia fragifera is, I fear, all killed 

 above the snow line. Osmanthus ilicifolins, a pretty Holly- 

 looking plant from Japan, seems as hardy as our native 

 favourite, and its half-namesake Olea ilicifolia suffered as little, 

 but 0. europfea was unhurt. Photinia serrulata, whose burst- 

 ing buds and apparent continuous growth render it partica- 

 larly susceptible to cold, has not suffered much, but a Nerimtt 

 Oleander which stood last winter against a wall is, I expeet, 

 quite killed now. Arbutuses are scarcely in the least touched, 

 and stand proudly amongst some other things much injured, 

 and I believe all the Hollies are untouched. 



Deciduous plants have mostly escaped. Weigela rosea seems 

 fresh, and so does the Deutzia ; but my experience in Boses 

 is less important, as we mostly grow dwarf ones and on their 

 own roots, and the snow helping to keep them from harm, the 

 damage is confined to the CMna and other less hardy sorts. 1 

 also find that an edging plant which is not so much used aa H 

 deserves to be — naidely, SantoUna incana, is perfectly hardy. 

 The Chinese Palm, Chamaerops Fortuni, is still more so; its 

 glossy green leaves appear to be improved rather than other- 

 wise by the cold. The Pampas Grass has, I fear, suffered to 

 an extent that will prove fatal to half the plants we have ; and 

 I am afraid the same may be said of Tritoma uvaria. It is ft 

 singular fact as exemplifying the mildness of the autumn, that 

 when the frost set in, in four beds of this plant there were 

 numerous spikes of flowers in excellent condition, and others 

 of different heights rising up from the bottom. The large 

 plants, however, I fear are entirely MUed ; but a day or two 

 ago I noticed a small one, only a few inches high, in a fully 

 exposed place, with two blooms on it, which were quite fresh 

 and unhurt by the weather, the snow having protected them. 

 I may also remark, in connection with the above fact, that Cal- 

 ceolaria cuttings in a cold pit, with no other covering than a 

 glass light and snow, have not sustained much injury, C. am- 

 plexicaulis with one or two other tender varieties being the 

 only sufferers. I must not omit to mention that a fine plant 

 of iiigustrum japonicum, nearly 20 feet in height and more than 

 that in diameter, ■yvhich has annually furnished hundreds of 

 spikes of bloom, is very severely injured, having been deprived 

 of most of its leaves. The common Ligustrum, L. ovaHfolimn, 

 has also had its beauty everywhere destroyed. 



Of the larger plants, I am sorry to state that my opinion of 

 the perfect hardiness of one or two of the most popular of the 

 Pinus tribe is much shaken, as a fine P. insignis, upwards of 

 50 feet high and nearly as much in diameter, is shghtly injured, 

 and another, somewhat less, has suffered very much. P. ex- 

 celsa growing in the same situation bears no marks whatever 

 of the cold weather. Pinus Benthamiana and P. ponderosa 

 seem equally hardy, and none of the Picea tribe appear affected, 

 P. pinsapo, cephalonica, nobilis, and Nordmanniana being all 

 as good in appearance as before. The same cannot be said of 

 Abies morinda, as a plant or two growing in an exposed situa- 

 tion are injured on the south-west side, while several others in 

 the grounds have not suffered in the least. I may also add that 

 near to the Abies morinda referred to as being injured there 

 are both Deodars and Cedars of Lebanon in like manner 

 sufferers, the spot they occupy being that where the frost ap- 

 pears to have been most severe ; both species are much in- 

 jured ; the trees are 20 or 30 feet high. It is gratifying to 

 find that the more recently introduced Thujas and Thujopaes 

 show no signs of injury, although growing in the same situa- 



